These titles are bold, potent words, evoking an emotional response. I mean, The Pillars of the Earth? What a grand sentence! Just reading these titles, several of which I haven’t read, I feel something shift, and wonder, and turn to stare.

I brew up an insecurity attack about my books as I lie in bed with yet another bout of insomnia. Blood Orchids is on the verge of coming out, and it’s a scary time. This me thinking about what it is that makes a truly great book–and in this day and age of instant gratification (e-books! webzines! apps !) and the bulk of people with the attention span of a gnat, a great title is the perfect start.

What are some of your favorite titles? How did they impact your choice to buy the book?

‘Attention span of a gnat’ – you’re on to something there. I’ve been teaching for 14 years and that’s probably the biggest difference I’ve noticed in students: their attention span gets shorter and shorter. Or maybe more correctly: their attention span for reading and listening does.

I think reading is a great way to train our brains to focus, which is just one more reason I’m looking forward to Blood Orchids. 🙂

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Meet Toby

Toby Neal was raised on Kauai in Hawaii. She wrote and illustrated her first story at age 5. After initially majoring in journalism, she eventually settled on mental health as a career and loves her work, saying, “I’m endlessly fascinated with people’s stories.”Read More ›